Shame

An exert from "The Origin of Shame pt 1"

Fig leaves were used by Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness and to hide their shame. Today there are two basic fig leaves we use to cover our shame. The first is rebellion and the second is perfectionism.

Rebellion is simply giving up. It says I am going to stop trying and give up, because I am just a looser, giving up leads us to seek out some sort of anesthesia to relieve the pain that we feel inside, like alcohol, pornography, pills, etc. Rebellion leads to something that takes us out of the race. The root of rebellion is the belief that I will never be able to live up to their standards or please them, so I just give up.

The other fig leaf is success and perfectionism. Success and perfectionism is not bad in and of itself. However it is destructive when it is fear and shame driven. The shame driven pursuit of success causes us to try harder in order to be loved.

The remedy for fig leaves is a growing understanding of the perfect and healing love of God that grows out of intimacy with the Son.